How to setup a dedicated server for Counter-Strike: Global offensive

An extended version of one of the all-time favorite and most popular team-based shooter games, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) is the fourth game in the Counter-Strike series. Two teams compete in multiple rounds of objective-based game modes to win enough competitions to win the match.

The following article showcases steps on how to create and deploy Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

• Updating Ubuntu libraries
• Installing Screen
• Install SteamCMD
• Run SteamCMD
• Install Counter Strike: Global Offense
• Configure the Server
• Start the Server
• Join the Game

Update Ubuntu

We will start with updating Ubuntu 18 for any latest file updates and patches

Installing Screen

GNU Screen is a tool that works with a terminal session to allow users to resume a session after being disconnected. Screen prevents a session from "timing out" or disconnecting SSH connections or local terminal emulators.

Install SteamCMD

SteamCMD is a command-line version of the Steam client that works with games that use SteamPipe.

Since Steam is compiled for i386, you need to install the appropriate libraries if your Linux OS is built on 64-bit architecture instead of 32.

Create the directory for SteamCMD and change to it:

Download the SteamCMD install file:

Extract the installation and runtime files:

Run SteamCMD

Output

Exit SteamCMD

Press Ctrl + Shift + a followed by Ctrl + Shit + d to detach from the screen session without disrupting the steam process. To return to the screen session type.

Stop SteamCMD

To stop the Steam process and remove your screen session, enter quit at the Steam> command prompt or enter Control + C on your keyboard.

Install Counter-Strike: Global Offense

Run SteamCMD and login to Steam inside a screen session. From the SteamCMD prompt, install CS:GO to the steam user’s home directory:

This will usually take more than 30 mins to unpack and install all the files on your server. Once done, you can see the following output.

Output

Exit SteamCMD:

Configure the Server

Create a file called server.cfg with the contents of the following snippet. Save the file in the following location.

The value for hostname will be displayed to users that join your server. Use appropriate passwords for sv_password and rcon_password. The sv_password is the password users will need to enter to join the server. rcon_password is the RCON password used to control the game server from within the game remotely.

Copy the content below to the file

Now let us create a startup script for CS: GO with the following snippet.
Note: YOUR_GSLT variable at the top is your game server login token.

Copy following content to the file

Make the script executable:

Start the Server

Now that your server is installed and configured, it can be launched by running the startcsgo.sh script from your steam user's home directory.

Join the Game

On your local machine, launch Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

Once launched, go to Play and click Browse Community Servers.

Click on the Favorites tab and then click Add a Server at the bottom.

Here you need to type in your server's IP address where you have just installed CS: GO and click Add this address to favorites.

You'll see your new Counter-Strike: Global Offensive server. Double click on the link or select and click Connect at the bottom right to connect to the server.

Congratulation! You have now successfully installed Counter Strike: Global Offensive on your Ubuntu 18 server. We hope you have found this guide helpful. Please click on the up-vote button to show your appreciation.